To think labour can’t be THAT bad?

[Bumpingbumping]

Potentially being extremely naive, and of course this is excluding exceptional circumstances/emergency situations.

But aibu to think labour can’t be as horrific as people make out? I’ll be giving birth in 10 days time following an induction and everybody keeps asking me if I’m terrified and telling me how awful it will be.

Surely if it was THAT bad people just wouldn’t do it? Or would opt for a c section?

Again, feel free to hit me with the facts because I’m possibly being naive. But does anyone have any nice birth stories? Particularly following an induction?

That’s exactly how I would describe stomach bug and period pain mixed together.

Had a back to back labour. I've not forgotten a thing. My wee one is 2. I have absolutely no intention of ever doing it again. Good luck though

I did have a CS, because it was so bad. I was induced, two epidurals failed and about ten hours into it screaming in agony, I refused to do it and demanded a Caesarian. The moment the spinal block kicked in was amazing. I can still remember the feeling of relief six years later.

Sorry but it really is that bad. If it had to do it again, I’d be having an elective this time.

Mine weren’t that bad but I’d never want to do it again! For an induction I’d recommend epidural before the drip, I did that after seeing advice and how painful the drip can be. I was already in back to back labour which was bloody painful- like pushing a bowling ball up my bum. I had a sleep for part of it. Pushed for 30-30 mins plus small tear. Post birth pains were bad - no one mentions this!

Second - perfect, 3 hours, pool, five/ten minutes of pushing, no pain relief. Pain only unbearable near the end. It was still horrible. In some ways I preferred the first as I didn’t feel it, especially pushing. However being home and avoiding the post natal ward was amazing. Home epidurals would be ideal.

@ShastaBeast I found pushing out the placenta painful too, nobody ever even mentioned it but it was the same size as the baby! It stung. Nothing compared to the back to back contractions. I was just screaming “my butt!” 🤣 Because I honestly can’t describe how bad the pain in my arse was. Anyone experienced javelin arse? That sharp breathless pain? It was like that but continuous by the end without any pause in contractions. Ugh 😣 I can’t do this again!

Induction specifically, the reason why most people say it will be horrific is just because it's intense as you go from having no contractions to having full blown 4 in 10 so your body doesn't really have time to adjust and it's not the gradual buildup you would get with spontaneous contractions. The first part of induction is a pessary which is inserted near your cervix, that's relatively pain free (just the feeling of an internal exam) and it may just feel like a tampon is inside and it feels like it could fall out! If it does you just let the midwife know. Some women will labour off the pessary alone, as it ripens your cervix and prepares it for labour, making it thinner and stretchier (effacement). Following pessary, you would be offered an amniotomy which is breaking of your waters. They do this with an internal exam to feel your waters then insert a long thin piece of plastic with a little prick on the end which is called an amnihook which they pierce the waters with gently. This doesn't particularly hurt, it may just feel a bit funny and a bit of a relief as the pressure from your forewaters is released! After this you'll constantly feel little bits of your waters trickle out slowly so you'll feel a bit wet haha! Some women will labour off this and don't need the next step of induction. If you do need it, it's a hormone drip (oxytocin) which is inserted with a cannula info your arm/hand. This is a synthetic version of the natural labour hormone, and it stimulates contractions. They aren't necessarily any stronger than spontaneous contractions, people just say it hurts more as it's so intense as like I said before, you don't have the same gradual build up - you go from not having any/much to full on 4 in 10 pretty much. But with this, you'll be offered lots of pain relief. Depending on what you individually are safe with and what your hospital provides, you may be offered paracetamol, a codeine variant, TENS machine, Entonox (gas and air), pethidine, or an epidural. You can also use holistic methods such as aromatherapy, massage, and visualisation. It would be wise to start small, with paracetamol and build up the pain relief ladder gradually, to get the maximum relief from each option. But you can do it! Don't let what everybody says put you off. You are in safe hands with the doctors and midwives, and if you have any worries just talk to them, they're there to care for you and make you feel safe. Good luck! Enjoy your beautiful baby 😊

Has op given birth yet ? 🤔... I didn't like to comment but I do know some people may it look easy .. of course it's not but s straight forward delivery I imagine is not had.. I've never had one though 🙈

Oh I just remember rocking up with my homeopathic child birth kit! 😂 How naive. I think I chucked it across the room in the end.

Interesting, yes, I'd forgotten about the after-pains completely, but they were really painful and I think worse after each labour.

A very different pain, really sharp and quite sickening. Labour pain felt a lot more diffuse.

I don't think you can comment until you've done it. That said, for some people it isn't that bad and most would do it again. The reward is so unbelievably wonderful that you do forget. However, I think your post is naive and shows you have a lot to learn. Good luck with the birth.

@fluffypidgeon what a brilliant post. I’m going to remember that if I have to be induced this time round.

Smotheroffive omg the afterpains
I was told about them when pregnant with DC1, and didn’t really feel them other than a slight period-pain type twinge for the first few days breastfeeding. Didn’t know what all the fuss was about.....
Then I had DC2 and the afterpains fucking floored me Every feed for the first 2-3 days felt like early labour all over again! I’m expecting DC3, and from what I hear, afterpains are worse with each baby?
Can’t wait for that little delight

I assume you've had your baby by now OP? How did you get on?

@Bumpingbumping how did you find it?

OK, I'm late to the thread and only just seen it, at nearly 800 posts I assume it got heated!
YABU. Every birth's different. If you'd asked me with my first, I'd have said it was easy peasy, meh nothing really to it.
Second though, big baby OMG painful is putting it mildly lol.
So yeah.
Have your baby and then come back and tell us how it went, and if you come back saying was easy, then you just got lucky

Had a back to back labour. I've not forgotten a thing. My wee one is 2. I have absolutely no intention of ever doing it again. Good luck though

Forgot to mention big baby was also back to back, if I'd have had my 2nd 1st I'd probably have felt the same

Urgh horrible induction, vantouse (sp??) haemorrhage then blood clot a few weeks later. Sticking at one. Cheaper and good for the environment

They do this with an internal exam to feel your waters then insert a long thin piece of plastic with a little prick on the end which is called an amnihook which they pierce the waters with gently. This doesn't particularly hurt,

Not true fucking hurts.

I was a week overdue. Had two failed sweeps and then an induction followed by a 36 hour labour. IT WAS AWFUL!
DD is now 16 and an only child. No way would I have done that again. I could feel the pain in every single part of me

It’s different for everyone and with each baby.
I’ve had two horrific labours whete I was practically praying to be put into a coma so it would all be over, and three relatively easier births. I think for everyone, there comes that moment where you feel ‘ I can’t cope anymore’ but that’s transition and usually means you’re close to delivering your baby.
Don’t underestimate the hardworking you have to do to get that baby delivered. It’s such a huge impact on your body and is dependent on how baby copes and positioning. So many things. Good luck.

There is obviously a lot of variation. I didn't find labour as bad as I expected but the discomfort after the first labour from a bad tear, stitches and anaemia from blood loss I hadn't expected.
My second labour was very easy and straightforward , it is possible to get off lightly.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to that question, unfortunately.

Some give birth naturally, others have c-sections or other interventions.

Some go drug free, some have drugs or epidurals.

Some have home or water births, others go to a hospital.

Some women poop, others don't.

Some women tear, other's don't.

Some are in labour for days, and for others it only takes a few hours.

Some have complications, some don't.

Some feel like they're going to die from the pain, others don't think it's so bad. This could be due to a number of reasons other than just a person's pain threshold.

For some the experience is wonderful, for others it is quite traumatic.

And one woman can have vastly different birthing experiences between her first, second, and third etc. child. I know my labour for my first was very different than my labour for my second.

So not a question that can be answered I'm afraid! But I do hope your own experience is a quick, painless, wonderful and complication free experience!

They do this with an internal exam to feel your waters then insert a long thin piece of plastic with a little prick on the end which is called an amnihook which they pierce the waters with gently. This doesn't particularly hurt

It does, it really does. And I am known as having a high pain threshold.

I found the actually contractions and birth to be okay, although I will confirm it's the worst pain I can remember. But for me it was bearable, no pain relief at all because it went pretty fast.

I had an ELCS first time around. That was calm and okay. I think on balance, despite the easy birth 2nd time, I'd have opted for an ELCS instead of VBAC if I'd known I could.

Grief wtf is wrong with some of you? OP is due to give birth in ten days, the LAST thing she needs is horror stories! Honestly the women telling you horror stories should be ashamed of themselves OP.

Yes, labour might be terrible. On the other hand it might completely fine! My friend was out of bed an hour after her C section walking about and didn't seem to have a problem at all.

My first labour (with epidural) was pretty long, but I couldn't feel a thing and didn't tear.

My second labour (without epidural was pretty awful but only for about an hour and then she was out and I felt fine (but tired) after.

Labour doesn't HAVE to be terrible. Yours might be lovely! Try not to worry about it. The main thing to remember is that you are going to get through it, it'll pass eventually. You can do it! Good luck!

I had my waters broken, it didn't hurt me at all. Everyone is different, every midwive/doctor is different.